Pokemon Go | Best Teams For PvP (Trainer Battles)

Read this Pokemon GO guide on the best party for PvP Trainer Battles for Master, Ultra, and Great league, best builds and moves, tips, and much more!

PvP Related Articles
GO Battle League Guide			Trainer Battle Guide
Best Teams For PvP			Best Pokemon For PvP
Great League Tier List		Ultra League Tier List		Master League Tier List

Best Party For PVP List

Master League Best Party

Including Legendary/Region Limited Pokemon

Dialga Party 1						Dialga Party 2
Melmetal Party						Giratina Party
Dragonite Party

No Legendary/Region Limited Pokemon

Dragonite Party						Garchomp Party
Togekiss Party						Tyranitar Party

Ultra League Best Party

Including Legendary/Region Limited Pokemon

Giratina Party						Togekiss Party

No Legendary Or Region Limited Pokemon

Steelix Party						Gyarados Party

Great League Best Party

Including Legendary/Region Limited Pokemon

Altaria Party						Deoxys Party 1
Deoxys Party 2						Deoxys Party 3
Azumarill Party 1						Azumarill Party 2
Bastiodon Party						Whiscash Party

No Legendary/Region Limited Pokemon

Azumarill Party						Swampert Party
Whiscash Party 1						Sableye Party
Altaria Party 1

Best Party For Master League

More Pokemon PVP Parties will be added once verified in battle.

Master League - Dialga Party

(*) Indicates a Legacy move currently not learnable in-game.

Pokemon	Fast Move Charge Move
Dialga	Dragon Breath Iron Head Thunder
Togekiss	Charm Ancient Power Aerial Ace
Giratina (Altered Forme)	Shadow Claw Shadow Sneak Dragon Claw

Use Dialga As Main Pokemon In Party

Dialga has high attack power and defense, making it a top contender in the Master League. It also works well with Togekiss & Giratina. If you're faced with an opponent's Togekiss, you can fight it with Dialga or your own Togekiss.

Boost Dialga's CP

Dialga is a very common Pokemon to use in the Ultra League so make sure to boost your Dialga's CP to get the competitive advantage. There's no CP limit in Master League so the higher your CP, the better.

Master League - Dialga Party 2

Pokemon	Fast Move Charge Move
Dialga	Dragon Breath Iron Head Thunder
Swampert	Mud Shot Hydro Pump Earthquake
Giratina (Origin Forme)	Shadow Claw Shadow Ball Dragon Pulse

A Party With Dialga At The Lead

This party makes use of Dialga's very few weaknesses and throws it out first into battle. Dialga is weak to Fighting and Ground types, which means you'll have to watch out for Melmetal's Superpower and Dragonite's Dynamic Punch, as well as Swampert's Earthquake.

Switching Tips

It's possible that your opponent will switch out upon seeing your Dialga, so it's important to be able to set up an advantageous situation for yourself in this case. If they switch into Melmetal, bring out your Swampert. If you see a Dragonite, swap into Giratina.

Boost Dialga's CP

There are situations where you and your opponent both send out a Dialga first. In such cases, setting your Dialga as your Buddy is a good way to get the advantage in the mirror matchup.

Master League - Melmetal Party

Pokemon	Fast Move Charge Move
Melmetal	Thunder Shock Rock Slide Superpower
Giratina (Altered Forme)	Shadow Claw Ancient Power Dragon Claw
Tyranitar	Bite Crunch Stone Edge

A Party Build Around Melmetal

This is a party built to support a Melmetal lead. Although this team seems to have many weaknesses, the team synergy is such that each member makes up for the others' weaknesses.

Use Altered Forme Giratina

In Master League, Origin Forme Giratina is seen more often due to its higher attack. However, if you do this you'll be left with only Melmetal to deal with Togekiss. Altered Forme Giratina can learn Ancient Power, which gives it the advantage over Togekiss.

Master League - Giratina Party

Pokemon	Fast Move Charge Move
	Shadow Claw Shadow Ball Ominous Wind
Kyogre	Waterfall Surf Thunder
Metagross	Bullet Punch Meteor Mash Earthquake

Giratina Lead Party

This is a party that puts the high HP/Atk Origin Forme Giratina at the head. Lead with Ominous Wind and hope for the stat up proc, as that will often cement your victory.

Bring Pokemon That Cover Giratina's Weaknesses

The remaining 2 spots in your party should be able to deal with Giratina's main threats, Tyranitar and Togekiss. Be ready to react to your opponent's switches quickly.

Watch Out For Dialga

This particular party is somewhat vulnerable to Dialga, so be careful in how you deal with. Ensure that your Metagross's Earthquake is not blocked by a shield!

Master League - Dragonite Party

Pokemon	Fast Move Charge Move
Dragonite	Dragon Breath Dragon Claw Outrage
Melmetal	Thunder Shock Rock Slide Superpower
Togekiss	Charm Ancient Power Flamethrower

Dragonite Lead Party

This party leads with a strong Dragon Breath/Dragon Claw using Dragonite. In terms of a charge move, you have the option between Outrage and Hurricane.

Works Well With Melmetal and Togekiss

Dragonite works well with these two Pokemon, as they supplement each others' weaknesses. Even if Dragonite is taken down, you can often stick it out long enough to win. Make sure to utilize your team's double resistances effectively when switching out.

Master League - Dragonite Party

Pokemon	Fast Move Charge Move
Dragonite	Dragon Breath Dragon Claw Outrage
Metagross	Bullet Punch Meteor Mash Earthquake
Snorlax	Lick Body Slam Earthquake

Party With Dragonite At The Lead

This party has a strong lead in the form of Dragonite, with Dragon Breath and Dragon Claw both being excellent moves that allow it to fill up its gauge fast. Outrage also deals massive damage, so make sure to consider how many shields your opponent has left before using it!

Switch Out Into Snorlax

Snorlax's few weaknesses make it a great candidate to switch out even if you don't know what other Pokemon your opponent is bringing. With Earthquake as its charge move, it can also hold its own against Dialga.

Master League - Garchomp Party

Pokemon	Fast Move Charge Move
Garchomp	Mud Shot Outrage Earthquake
Metagross	Bullet Punch Meteor Mash Earthquake
Togekiss	Charm Ancient Power Flamethrower

Garchomp Lead Party

Garchomp's typing makes it quite powerful, being able to use STAB Outrage and Earthquake. Garchomp works extremely well against Melmetal and Giratina, but it needs to be careful against Togekiss and Articuno.

Metagross Makes A Great Complement

Metagross resists all 3 of Garchomp's weaknesses (Ice, Dragon, and Fairy), making it a great choice to swap out into when in a disadvantageous position. Just watch out that, as always, if you swap out first, your opponent can react to you and send out something Metagross is weak to.

Master League - Togekiss Party

Pokemon	Fast Move Charge Move
Togekiss	Charm Ancient Power Flamethrower
Garchomp	Mud Shot Outrage Earthquake
Swampert	Mud Shot Hydro Pump Earthquake

Togekiss Lead Party

Togekiss is a powerful Fairy/Flying type with access to the great move Charm. It doesn't deal well with Fire, Poison, and Steel types, but with those exceptions, it can deal excellent damage to most Pokemon. It works well at forcing swaps from your opponent, giving you the advantage in the fight.

Pairs Well With Garchomp and Swampert

To help deal with Melmetal, which is quite dangerous for Togekiss, you can bring out Ground moves from the likes of Garchomp and Swampert!

Master League - Tyranitar Party

Pokemon	Fast Move Charge Move
Tyranitar	Bite Crunch Stone Edge
Metagross	Bullet Punch Meteor Mash Earthquake
Swampert	Mud Shot Hydro Pump Earthquake

Tyranitar Lead Party

Tyranitar may have a large amount of weaknesses, but its Dark typing makes it quite strong against Ghost and Psychic types. If you anticipate a super-effective move to come your way, swap out into your other 2 Pokemon.

Metagross and Swampert Work Well Alongside Tyranitar

Metagross does well at covering many of Tyranitar's weaknesses, while Swampert can deal with any ground types that might threaten the other two. This works particularly well since Grass types are relatively rare in Master League.

Best Party For Ultra League

More Pokemon PVP Parties will be added once verified in battle.

Ultra League - Giratina Party

(*) Indicates a Legacy move currently not learnable in-game.

Pokemon	Fast Move Charge Move
Giratina (Altered Forme)	Dragon Breath Ancient Power Dragon Claw
Registeel	Lock-On Flash Cannon Focus Blast
Swampert	Mud Shot Hydro Cannon(*) Earthquake

Use Giratina As Main Pokemon

Giratina is a powerful Pokemon that can be used as the central aggressive Pokemon in this party. Registeel can compensate for Giratina's weakness, making it a powerful combo in this party.

Use Swampert Against Alolan Muk

Alolan Muk can be used to fight against Giratina. When this happens, swap out Giratina for Swampert to take down the Alolan Muk.

Ultra League - Togekiss Party

(*) Indicates a Legacy move currently not learnable in-game.

Pokemon	Fast Move Charge Move
Togekiss	Charm Ancient Power Flamethrower
Swampert	Mud Shot Hydro Cannon(*) Earthquake
Armored Mewtwo	Confusion Rock Slide Dynamic Punch

Party With Togekiss As Main Pokemon

Togekiss as the main Pokemon in a party can be strong against an opponent's Giratina.

Swampert Is Effective Against Alolan Muk

To counter Alolan Muk, bring out your Swampert. This Pokemon is also highly versatile, allowing you to deal high damage to any Type of Pokemon with Hydro Cannon.

Armored Mewtwo Can Provide Advantages

Armored Mewtwo's moves can be hard to read, providing you with a battle advantage. It is also very durable and can withstand strong Pokemon attacks.

Ultra League - Steelix Party

(*) Indicates a Legacy move currently not learnable in-game.

Pokemon	Fast Move Charge Move
Steelix	Dragon Tail Earthquake Crunch
Venusaur	Vine Whip Frenzy Plant(*) Sludge Bomb
Charizard	Fire Spin Blast Burn(*) Dragon Claw

Party With Steelix As Main Pokemon

In this party, Steelix will be your main Pokemon. This Pokemon can tough it out against Giratina, a widely used Pokemon in the Ultra League.

Use Charizard Against Registeel

Charizard is very effective against Registeel, one of the more used Pokemon in Ultra League. However, be careful of Melmetal that can learn Rock Slide, which is 4x effective against Charizard, so be cautious.

Venusaur Is Strong Against Water Types

In Ultra League, you'll come across many Water Types - Swampert, Poliwrath, and Suicune, to name a few. Use Venusaur to take them down fast but be careful as Venusaur also has a lot of weaknesses.

Ultra League - Gyarados Party

(*) Indicates a Legacy move currently not learnable in-game.

Pokemon	Fast Move Charge Move
Gyarados	Dragon Breath Crunch Hydro Pump
Typhlosion	Shadow Claw Blast Burn(*) Solar Beam
Meganium	Vine Whip Frenzy Plant(*) Earthquake

Use Gyarados As Main Pokemon

Gyarados is an effective main Pokemon against Giratina in the Ultra League. Hydro Pump is very powerful and its gauge can be charged fast.

Counter Registeel With Typhlosion

Registeel can be countered effectively by Typhlosion's Fire moves. Shadow Claw is used mainly to build the gauge of Solar Beam fast in this party.

Meganium Can Handle Different Types

Meganium is a powerful Pokemon that can learn different Types of attacks to deal with different Pokemon. If Typhlosion falls against Registeel, it can still fight using Earthquake.

Best Party For Great League

More Pokemon PVP Parties will be added once verified in battle.

Great League - Altaria Party

(*) Indicates a Legacy move currently not learnable in-game.

Pokemon	Fast Move Charge Move
Altaria	Dragon Breath Sky Attack Dragon Pulse
Registeel	Lock-On Flash Cannon Focus Blast
Swampert	Mud Shot Hydro Cannon(*) Earthquake

Altaria-Centered Party

The main Pokemon in this party is Altaria, which has strong moves and great defense. With Registeel in your party, it will compensate well for Altaria's weakness to Ice, Rock, Dragon, and Fairy.

Strong Swampert Can Do Great Damage

If you have a powerful Swampert with the Legacy move, Hydro Cannon, be sure to include it in your party. It can do great damage even to any Pokemon and only has Grass-types as its weakness, which can be covered by Registeel and Altaria anyway!

Watch Out For Azumarill

If Hydro Pump is included in an enemy trainer's Azumarill's move set, it'll be difficult to take it down. Make sure to be cautious when facing an Azumarill in battle.

Your Party			Strong Against
Altaria			Medicham			Swampert			Venusaur
Registeel			Altaria			Skarmory			Deoxys (Defense)
Swampert			Registeel			Bastiodon			Raikou

Great League - Deoxys Party 1

(*) Indicates a Legacy move currently not learnable in-game.

Pokemon	Fast Move Charge Move
Deoxys (Defense)	Counter Rock Slide Thunderbolt
Poliwrath	Mud Shot Power-Up Punch Ice Punch
Skarmory	Air Slash Sky Attack Flash Cannon

Deoxys-Centric Party

Deoxys is a strong Pokemon that can be used as your central Pokemon in this party. It has high defense and can use several Types in its attacks, allowing to cover a range of enemy Pokemon.

Poliwrath Is Strong Against Registeel

Poliwrath can be used to fight effectively against any opponent's Registeel. It can also charge its gauge fast with Mud Shot, allowing you to use Ice Punch fast.

Prepare Against Electric Types

This Pokemon party does not have any resistance to Electric Types so you must use Deoxys against those. Alternatives to Poliwrath can be Whiscash, Swampert, or Toxicroak.

Great League - Azumarill Party

(*) Indicates a Legacy move currently not learnable in-game.

Pokemon	Fast Move Charge Move
Azumarill	Bubble Play Rough Ice Beam
Skarmory	Steel Wing Sky Attack Flash Cannon
Whiscash	Mud Shot Mud Bomb Petal Blizzard

Azumarill-Centric PVP Party

Azumarill is a good Pokemon with only a few weaknesses, making it good as a center of this PVP party. It's weaknesses in Type can be covered by Skarmory and Whiscash.

Stay Cautious Of Grass & Electric Types

You have 2 Pokemon that are weak to both Grass & Electric Types. It's best to try and predict your enemy's movement and switch your Pokemon when it brings out a Grass or Electric Type.

Your Party			Strong Against
Azumarill			Medicham			Altaria			Umbreon
Skarmory			Venusaur			Poliwrath			Forretress
Whiscash			Deoxys (Defense)

Great League - Swampert Party

(*) Indicates a Legacy move currently not learnable in-game.

Pokemon	Fast Move Charge Move
Swampert	Mud Shot Hydro Cannon(*) Earthquake
Skarmory	Air Slash Sky Attack Flash Cannon
Alolan Muk	Poison Jab Sludge Wave Dark Pulse

Use Swampert As Main Pokemon

In this party, Swampert is your main Pokemon. It is durable and only has a few weaknesses.

Skarmory Complements Swampert

Skarmory makes up for Swamperts weakness to Electricity, making it a great Pokemon to include in this party.

Use Alolan Muk Against Azumarill

If you're faced with an opponent's Azumarill, Alolan Muk is a great Pokemon to use against it.

Trading Is Necessary For Alolan Muk

If you evolve an Alolan Muk hatched from an egg, your CP will exceed 1500. In order to use Alolan Muk, you'll have to lower its IVs by trading, so be careful.

Other Great League Party Combinations

Great League - Deoxys Party 2

(*) Indicates a Legacy move currently not learnable in-game.

Pokemon	Fast Move Charge Move
Deoxys (Defense)	Counter Rock Slide Thunderbolt
Poliwrath	Mud Shot Power-Up Punch Ice Punch
Bastiodon	Smack Down Stone Edge Flamethrower

Great League - Deoxys Party 3

(*) Indicates a Legacy move currently not learnable in-game.

Pokemon	Fast Move Charge Move
Deoxys (Defense)	Counter Rock Slide Thunderbolt
Medicham	Counter Power-Up Punch Ice Punch
Skuntank	Poison Jab Sludge Bomb Flamethrower

Great League - Azumarill Party 1

(*) Indicates a Legacy move currently not learnable in-game.

Pokemon	Fast Move Charge Move
Azumarill	Bubble Ice Beam Hydro Pump
Bastiodon	Smack Down Stone Edge Flamethrower
Tropius	Air Slash Leaf Blade Aerial Ace

Great League - Azumarill Party 2

(*) Indicates a Legacy move currently not learnable in-game.

Pokemon	Fast Move Charge Move
Azumarill	Bubble Ice Beam Hydro Pump
Venusaur	Vine Whip Frenzy Plant(*) Sludge Bomb
Registeel	Lock-On Flash Cannon Focus Blast

Great League - Bastiodon Party

(*) Indicates a Legacy move currently not learnable in-game.

Pokemon	Fast Move Charge Move
Bastiodon	Smack Down Stone Edge Flamethrower
Altaria	Dragon Breath Sky Attack Dragon Pulse
Deoxys (Defense)	Counter Rock Slide Thunderbolt

Great League - Whiscash Party

(*) Indicates a Legacy move currently not learnable in-game.

Pokemon	Fast Move Charge Move
Whiscash	Mud Shot Mud Bomb Petal Blizzard
Deoxys (Defense)	Counter Rock Slide Thunderbolt
Registeel	Lock-On Flash Cannon Focus Blast

Great League - Whiscash Party 1

(*) Indicates a Legacy move currently not learnable in-game.

Pokemon	Fast Move Charge Move
Whiscash	Mud Shot Mud Bomb Petal Blizzard
Sableye	Shadow Claw Foul Play Power Gem
Venusaur	Vine Whip Frenzy Plant(*) Sludge Bomb

Great League - Sableye Party

(*) Indicates a Legacy move currently not learnable in-game.

Pokemon	Fast Move Charge Move
Sableye	Shadow Claw Foul Play Power Gem
Lanturn	Spark Thunderbolt Hydropump
Skarmory	Air Slash Sky Attack Flash Cannon

Great League - Altaria Party 1

(*) Indicates a Legacy move currently not learnable in-game.

Pokemon	Fast Move Charge Move
Altaria	Dragon Breath Sky Attack Dragon Pulse
Azumarill	Bubble Play Rough Ice Beam
Medicham	Counter Power-Up Punch Ice Punch

PVP Party Creation Tips

Have Pokemon With Separate Weaknesses

Make sure to bring Pokemon that don't have a shared weakness in types. If your opponent is able to identify your Pokemon's weakness, they will be able to wipe your party out fast.

How To Compensate For Weakness

It's best to bring Pokemon that have complementing strengths & weaknesses. For example, if you bring a Whiscash, bring a Skarmory along as they're strengths & weaknesses complement each other.

	Pokemon	Weak Against	Strong Against
Pokemon 1	Whiscash
Pokemon 2	Skarmory

Don't Bring Pokemon With Many Weaknesses

It's best to bench Pokemon that have many weaknesses in their Type. This will be disadvantageous to you overall, making it easy for you to lose your matches.

Pokemon With Many Weaknesses

Pokemon	Weak Against
Tyranitar
Alolan Exeggutor

Steps To Create PVP Party

1. Pick Your Main Pokemon

To create a PvP party, you must first choose the Pokemon that will be your main attacker & center of your party. For example, in this party we will choose Altaria.

2. Choose Supporting Pokemon For Main Type

After choosing your main Pokemon, you'll need to pick supporting Pokemon that will be good against Pokemon your main one is weak against. In this case, Alolan Muk is strong against Fairy Types, which Altaria is weak to.

Compensate For Each Pokemon's Weakness

Choose Pokemon that complement each other's strengths and weaknesses, to make sure all points are covered. It's best to supplement your main Pokemon's weakness with another Pokemon that is strong against that specific type.

3. Choose Type To Stop Weakness Exploitation

Your 3rd Pokemon should not have the same weaknesses as your main and 2nd Pokemon. In this case, the Whiscash complements the Altaria & Alolan Muk.

4. Test In Real PVP Battles

When you've completed your party, go into real PvP battles and test your party combination. Doing so will allow you to gain experience & check if your party is powerful or effective in real battles.

Check Which Pokemon Other Trainers Use

While you're competing, take note of which Pokemon appear often in the battles. Always keep this in mind. as it will leave you better prepared to deal with other trainer's Pokemon parties and help you come out the victor!

PVP League Overview

GO Battle League Starts Feb 2020

The Pokemon GO Battle League started February 2020. Trainers can participate according to their level and win rewards!

There Is A CP Limit Per League

PvP Trainer battles in Pokemon GO are separated into 3 leagues - Great, Ultra, and Master. The Great & Ultra Leagues limit the CP of Pokemon you can bring into battle while the Master League has no CP limit.

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